This Friday marks a special milestone for the Universe as we know it, as March 22nd will be William Shatner's 82nd birthday.

Best known as Star Trek's Captain James T. Kirk, The Shat has since worked his way into the very fiber of our pop culture and continues to be an active contributor to Earthlings via TV, film, numerous autobiographies, and -- of course -- the Internet. If you've been following his Twitter feed, then you've certainly seen this gem of a bucket list, posted today:

If anyone is going to punch a shark, it's going to be The Shat!

In honor of the great man's birthday, The Vortex Room in San Francisco is hosting a special William Shatner Birthday Tribute Night full of Shatner rarities, burlesque dancers, and a special screening of 1958's Screeming Mimi, a strip-tease murder mystery with Anita Ekberg and Gypsy Rose Lee, in 16mm projection! The burlesque talent for the evening will be provided by Szandora LaVey, Laika Fox, The Indra, Mistress Pon-Farr, and your Mistress of Ceremonies, Odessa Lil. Find out more and RSVP on the Facebook HERE!

If you are in any doubt about Shatner's fondness of burlesque, then check out this video clip, in which he confesses ditching high school to see Lili St. Cyr!

And to drive home the contributions this man has made to the art of acting, please review his finer moments here: